5 The Ghosts in the Audience

by SUE FINEMAN

  “Eyes?”

  “I didn’t see his eyes. He wore a pair of work boots when he buried her, so you should find soil samples on the boots.”

  “Anything else we should know?”

  “No, I think that’s it.” What more did he need? Steffen had given him enough information to identify the killer and convict him.

  “Okay, we’ll check it out. Thanks for calling.”

  “You’re welcome.” The detective didn’t believe in psychics, but he was curious enough to check out what Steffen had told him. The cadaver dog would find the girl’s body, the police would find blood in the trunk of the killer’s car and hair in the backseat, and the man would eventually end up on death row, where he belonged. The girl’s mother could grieve and get on with her life instead of living in limbo, wondering what happened to her daughter.

  The vision left Steffen drained. He thought he was finished for the night when another vision flashed through his head. The man with the wall of pictures in his basement was throwing darts at another picture he’d blown up and taped to the wall.

  The picture was of Ginny’s father, Donovan Kane.

  <>

  Ginny was nearly asleep when she heard the phone ring. Dad answered it, and a few minutes later, brought the phone to her bedroom. Handing it to her, he said, “Talk to Steffen. He has some news about the man who shot him.”

  Grabbing the phone, she said, “Steffen, are you all right?”

  “I’m fine. The big man is in his basement, throwing darts at your father’s picture. Who do you know who hates him and is obsessed with you?”

  Only one name came to mind – former police captain, Bob Pierson. “He isn’t obsessed with me. He hates me.”

  “Who?”

  “The captain, or the man who used to be the captain. He hates Dad and he was always ragging on me. I couldn’t do anything to please him.”

  “That could have been a cover. Is he a big man with hairy hands?”

  “Yes.” She looked up at her father, who stood near the bedroom door. “He fits that description.” But it didn’t make sense. Bob Pierson had spent most of his life working in law enforcement. He wouldn’t shoot a man over a kiss.

  “Talk to me, Ginny,” Steffen said gently. “Tell me what’s going on with you.”

  “This isn’t a good time, Steffen.”

  “Why won’t you talk to me? Have I done something wrong?”

  “No, of course not. I need to talk with you, but not over the phone.”

  “I can be there tomorrow.”

  “How about next weekend? I’m going to move back to my house on Saturday.”

  “No,” Dad and Steffen said at the same time.

  “I can’t stay here forever,” she said to both of them. If these two overbearing men knew she was pregnant, they’d be even more protective.

  Dad shook his head, and she knew he wouldn’t let her go home now. He could be stubborn at times.

  “Stay with your parents,” said Steffen. “He won’t bother you unless you’re alone, and your house is too isolated to be safe.”

  She said the only thing she could think of. “I miss Boomer.”

  Dad smiled.

  Steffen said, “You miss that damn cat more than you miss me.”

  “I love that damn cat.”

  “I know,” he said quietly, and she knew she’d hurt his feelings. She loved him, too, but she couldn’t say the words over the phone. Not the first time.

  “Steffen, I appreciate the phone call. I’ll see you next weekend.”

  “Goodnight, Ginny. I love you.”

  “Goodnight, Steffen.”

  She handed the phone to Dad. “I’ll talk with Karen first thing in the morning.”

  “You think this could be Bob Pierson?”

  “I don’t know, Dad. I just don’t know.”

  <>

  Over breakfast the next morning, Steffen told Sarah, “I think I found a family for you in Ohio.”

  “I don’t need a family. I can take care of myself.”

  “Of course you can, but this man owns a private prep school and teaches there. They have three adopted kids, two boys and a girl. He’s my girlfriend’s brother. They’re good people, Sarah, and they want you to come and live with them.”

  “What if I don’t like it there?”

  “Then we’ll find you another family. I’d let you live with me, but my attorney is afraid a judge won’t let you stay with a single man. If we don’t find another place for you soon, you could end up in a group home here in Chicago.”

  “I know.” She played with her toast. “Ohio?”

  “River Valley. It’s a small city about an hour from Columbus. You can get a fresh start there. Nobody except the family will know about the baby. Nobody else will ever know unless you tell them. Unless your father pleads guilty, you’ll have to come back to Chicago and testify against him, but I’ll be there for you, Sarah. You don’t have to go through it alone.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “Like you were there for the baby?”

  “Honey, he’s in a better place, and someday, he’ll have another life.” Sarah was still grieving for her baby. Although she didn’t intend to keep him, she didn’t want him to die. Nobody wanted him to die.

  “When I told my mother I was pregnant with Dad’s baby, she didn’t believe me.”

  “She knows the truth now. She’s not happy about it, but she knows the truth.” Sarah’s father would spend the rest of his natural life in a prison cell, and her mother would never forgive Sarah for breaking up the family. As if any of this was the girl’s fault.

  Finally, she said, “A fresh start sounds good, and I’d like to finish high school.”

  “What about college?”

  She shrugged. “My mom said girls don’t need college.”

  “Of course they do. If you want to go to college, I’ll help you pay for it. All you have to do is study hard and get good grades.”

  Jerry nodded. “You can do it.”

  A little smile pulled at her lips. “You guys are too much.”

  Steffen squeezed her hand. “I have to go to Ohio next weekend. Would you like to come with me, so you can meet Billy and Kayla?”

  “Just for the weekend?”

  He nodded. “Just for the weekend.” He didn’t think Ginny would want him to stay any longer, and if her stalker saw them together, he could start shooting again.

  “Okay, sure.”

  Steffen looked over at Jerry. “Would you take her shopping for new clothes?”

  Jerry smiled and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes folded up. “You bet.”

  Steffen pulled a money clip from his pocket and peeled off several hundred-dollar bills. He handed them to Sarah. “Buy some new clothes, get a haircut, manicure, and whatever else you need to make yourself beautiful.”

  She kissed his cheek. “I wish I had a father like you.”

  Steffen felt warmth spread through his body. Too bad he couldn’t keep her.

  <>

  Monday morning, without mentioning Bob Pierson’s name, Ginny talked with Karen about Steffen’s visions.

  “Sounds like Pierson,” Karen said.

  “It can’t be him. He hates me.”

  “Maybe.”

  Ginny changed the subject. “I need some personal time this week.”

  “Any special reason?”

  “I need to see a doctor. I took a pregnancy test this morning and it came out positive, but I want to be sure before I tell Steffen.”

  Karen looked stunned. “I thought you didn’t want kids.”

  “I’m afraid it’s too late to worry about that now. I’m telling you this as a friend, not as my captain. Please don’t say anything until I’m ready.”

  “I won’t, but if you’re pregnant, we’ll have to make some adjustments in the work schedule.”

  Of course they would. Mark and Al would resent it if their workload increased because she couldn’t handle the work, but she couldn
’t worry about them. She had a stalker, a man who hated Dad, an unstable man with pictures of her on his basement wall. They had to find him before Steffen returned to River Valley. Before the man discovered she was pregnant.

  Karen stood. “It’s time to get the team involved in this stalker case.”

  Ginny shook her head. “We can’t base an official investigation on a psychic’s visions.” Aside from the bullets they dug out of the van and Steffen’s shoulder, that was all they had. Steffen’s visions.

  “What if we wait and he shoots somebody again? Are you willing to take that chance?”

  Ginny didn’t reply. What could she say? She didn’t want that pervert to kill Dad or Steffen, and she didn’t want him coming after her.

  Karen sat on the corner of Ginny’s desk and gathered the team. “We have reason to believe the person who shot Steffen Marchand did it because of the picture in the newspaper of him kissing Ginny.”

  “Reason to believe?” said Mark. “What reason? Where did you get the information?”

  Ginny wanted to slap him, but she needed his help in finding the man with the wall of pictures. She needed all of them to be aware of what was going on. “Steffen had a vision of the man who shot him. He was standing in a room with paneling on the walls, and one wall was covered with pictures of me. Apparently this man has been following me, because the snapshots are of me getting in my car, walking up to my parents’ home—”

  “Mr. Sensational saw this in a vision?” said Mark. “Give me a break.”

  Ginny continued. “He also has a big picture of my father, and he’s throwing darts at the picture. The room has a low ceiling. No natural light. Just a bare bulb. Probably a basement.”

  “He get a description of the man?” Molly asked.

  “Steffen didn’t see his face, but he saw his hands. He said the man is big, with meaty, hairy hands.”

  “Sounds like an ape,” Mark muttered, and Al laughed.

  “This is not funny,” Karen said. “I know some of you don’t believe in psychic visions, but I checked with the Chicago Police Department. They’ve been using Steffen Marchand’s visions to help them solve crimes since he was a kid. A few days ago, he helped them save the life of a young girl.”

  “I don’t buy it,” said Mark.

  Al shook his head. “Me neither. Where is this psychic? In Chicago? How can he see something in River Valley from Chicago?”

  Ginny shared a look with Karen. They both knew this wouldn’t be easy.

  “My great aunt used to have visions,” said Molly. “Folks used to come to her for help in finding things they’d lost, like jewelry or a dog or cat. Or their kids.”

  Mark threw his pen down on his desk. “Are you telling me we’re going to waste time on this stupid psycho crap?”

  Karen crossed her arms. “Call it what you will. We’re not discounting these visions. I want all of you to keep your eyes open. The next time this pervert aims something at Ginny, it could be a gun instead of a camera.”

  Mark stood and grabbed his jacket. “I didn’t hire on to be a bodyguard for a spoiled princess. I have real work to do.”

  “Shut up, Mark,” Ginny snapped. “Just shut the hell up.”

  “Or what? You gonna tell Daddy on me?”

  “Montgomery, my office, right now,” Karen snapped.

  “Go to hell,” he snapped back. “When I’m captain, things will be different around here.”

  “If you ever become captain, I’ll quit!” Ginny yelled.

  Mark stormed out of the office and slammed the door.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The atmosphere at work was anything but cordial over the next few days. Mark didn’t speak with anyone unless they asked him a direct question, and he ignored Ginny altogether. When things didn’t go Mark’s way, he grew impatient and surly, and working for a woman bruised his tender male ego.

  Ginny left work at three Friday afternoon to go to the Women’s Clinic. An hour later, she left with a bottle of prenatal vitamins and a bunch of information about pregnancy. The doctor had confirmed what she already knew. She should be excited, overjoyed at having a baby to love, but she wanted to cry.

  When she got home, the kitchen smelled like chocolate, and Mom was mixing icing for the cake cooling on the butcher block island. “Are we having company tonight?”

  “Billy and Kayla and the kids are coming, and Dad went to the airport to pick up Steffen and Sarah.”

  “I thought he was coming tomorrow.” She thought she had another day.

  Mom looked up and grabbed Ginny’s arms. “What’s wrong? You look like you’re ready to pass out.”

  Ginny’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m keeping a secret from Steffen, and I don’t know how to tell him.”

  “Honey, one look at your face and he’ll know something’s wrong. You’re so pale.” Mom gazed into her eyes. “Ginny, are you pregnant?”

  Ginny nodded. If Mom knew just by looking at her, so would Steffen.

  Mom hugged her, then pulled back. “I thought you didn’t want children.”

  “I don’t, but Steffen does. At least one of us will be happy.”

  “Once you get used to the idea, you’ll be happy, too.”

  Would she?

  “Go upstairs and lie down. Rest while I finish this cake.” Mom shooed her out of the room. “Go on.”

  Ginny took her prenatal vitamins and pregnancy information upstairs and shoved it in the dresser drawer with the unopened box of tampons. Out of sight, out of mind. She stretched out on the bed, shoved the pillow down under her head, and almost immediately fell asleep.

  Later, she felt someone lie down behind her and strong arms wrapped around her. Hot breath seared her neck with soft kisses. Still half asleep, she whispered, “Steffen?”

  “I’m here, honey.”

  Tears filled her eyes and spilled onto the pillow. Once she started crying, she couldn’t stop. Steffen rolled her into his arms and she sobbed uncontrollably against his solid chest. He deserved a woman who wanted to be a wife and mother, one who would appreciate his beautiful condo and his amazing psychic gifts. A woman who didn’t care if he played around in her mind and knew what she was thinking all the time.

  Ginny finally cried herself out and lay quietly in his arms, soaking up his love and wondering how to tell him. She had to do it now, before she lost her nerve. “Steffen—”

  Conner called from downstairs, “Aunt Ginny, Grandma says dinner in five minutes.” His voice broke, making him sound like a man one second and a little boy the next.

  Steffen stood and pulled her to her feet. “Dry your tears and we’ll talk after dinner.”

  “Did you meet Billy and Kayla and the kids?”

  “Yes, I did. Nice people.”

  Swallowing the lump in her throat, Ginny said, “Steffen, I need to tell you something.”

  “Aunt Ginny,” Michael called.

  “Coming,” she called back.

  Steffen said, “Go wash your face. We’ll talk later.”

  She escaped into the bathroom to wash the tear streaks off her face.

  Minutes later, Steffen walked Ginny downstairs, where Hannah and Kayla were putting food on the dining room table. The kids were in the living room, talking and laughing at Michael’s stupid knock-knock jokes. Zoe, a cute little girl about eight or nine years old, smiled shyly at Sarah, and Steffen knew they’d soon be friends.

  Sarah looked up and Steffen motioned her over. “Sarah, this is Virginia Kane. Ginny. She’s Billy’s sister.”

  Ginny took Sarah’s arm and they walked toward the dining room together. “Much younger sister,” Steffen heard Ginny say.

  “I heard that,” Billy said.

  Ginny had stopped crying and put on a happy face for her family, but Steffen knew she was upset about something. There was too much chatter for him to get a reading, but he knew just by looking at her something had changed.

  Whatever it was, she wasn’t happy about it.

  Kay
la passed the salad. “Steffen, we all had a wonderful time at the beach.”

  “We went to Disneyworld and Epcot,” said Zoe.

  Steffen glanced at Ginny. “We’ll have to do that next time we go.”

  “Did you go inside that big round ball and on the Small World ride?” Sarah asked, and the kids excitedly described the rides they’d gone on.

  Billy looked over at Steffen. “Thank you for bringing Sarah to us.”

  Sarah’s eyes filled with tears. Kayla quietly took Sarah into the other room, her arm around the girl’s shoulders. After losing her baby, Sarah was brittle with emotion.

  Almost like Ginny.

  Steffen stared at Ginny and had an idea why she cried earlier. He planted a question in her head. Are you pregnant?

  She swallowed hard and nodded slightly. Elation bubbled in his chest and he felt like cheering, but looking around the table, he suspected she hadn’t told any of them the news. Except her mother. Ginny wouldn’t keep something that important from her mother. Donovan didn’t know. Ginny’s overprotective father would be more watchful if he knew.

  I’m going to be a father. His heart soared. He’d always wanted a family of his own and he’d have one now – a beautiful wife and a son or daughter. What more could a man want?

  Ginny looked down at her plate, where she’d been moving food around with her fork without eating anything. He wanted to take her upstairs to talk in private, but he didn’t want to be rude and interrupt this family dinner.

  Kayla and Sarah returned to the table. Sarah seemed calmer now, and he knew it was because of this woman’s compassion. Sarah needed a woman in her life, a mother who cared, and she’d have it with these people.

  Steffen needed a woman in his life, too, and he’d found that woman in Ginny. Now that she was carrying his baby, she’d marry him, and they’d parent this child together. She might even agree to give him another baby or two. But he didn’t want her working when she was pregnant. She and the baby could get hurt.

  Ginny played with her food, too sick to her stomach to swallow anything. The smell alone made her nauseous. Steffen figured it out, as she knew he would. Whether he used his radar or figured it out like Mom had, he knew about the baby. Soon everyone would know, but she wasn’t ready to announce it to the world. Not yet.